Daily Yellowstone journal., 1887-06-22
pArAoNvmlcs OF MANY KINDS.
esus Queer English and German Names
aud Their Supposed Origin.

aud Their Supposed Origin.
''The devil has got stuck" uas the
surprising statement Of q German grocer
the other day.
"Got stucki Well. that is news said
the reporter who overheard the remark.
''How did that happen"
''Oh, you misunderstood! l said he has
got Stock-not stuck. He has been after
him for some time"
"You mean that Mr.. Stock 10 dead?''
asked the reporter.
The German was so amused that he
was unable to reply for a minute or two,
being nearly choked with laughter. II
NEAR that my neighbor, Teufel, the
butcher, has been trying for some timet to
hire . man named Stock, with whom I
am acquainted, and has at last succeeded
In engaging him. Now, do you catch
on"
"Well, of all queer names, Teufel is
the queerest," said the reporter.
1T 10 q respectable German surname,
and no stranger than many other family
names would appear il converted into
English" said the grocer. For instance,
know a man named Zehfuss-toe nail.
Then we have Dreifuss, which means
three feet; Langbein, long legs; Ochsen-
hirt, or herd; Kleinhans, little Jack;
Wolfschlager, wolf killer; Hundsblut.
dogs blood; Pfankuch, pancake; Gunel-
finger, crooked finger; Schwarzkopf,
black head; Grosskopf, big head; Kalbs-
heisch. veal; Knobeloch, garlic; Kraut,
cabbage, and scores of others that l could
name.
For long names takes these: Riemen-
schneider, Bankenbuhler, Schluessel-
Drummer, Schneiderlochner, Songenecker
and Guckenheimer. Some of the Penn
~sylvania Dutch names which have been
partly transformed into English are the
worst. Up in Armstrong county there
are several families by the name Of
Schreckengeist, which signifies in Ger
man a ghost or specter of terrible appear
ance. One would think the name could
be made no worse, hut some of the people
have succeeded in Transforming it into
Shriekingghost. Milliron, Morningstar,
Redheffer and Barndollar are other Ger.
man names which have been partly
translated" o
II don't know the origin of sur
names, " said o literary friend, in CONVEX
sation with the reporter. 1T is certainly
very ancient, and a mark distinguishing
civilized people from savages. The
Romans had double, treble or even quad
ripple names, is, for example. Caius
Julius Ceser, Tarquinius Superbus and
Quintus Fabius Maximus. Frequently
an honorary name was added to COM
memorate some warlike achievement;
Fabius was called Cunctator and Scipio
Africanus.
.'Anglo Saxons appear to have first
given surnames indicating some moral or
mental attributes. as, for instance, Wise,
Good, Swift, Jolly. Merry, Meek. Gay,
Goodman. M~akepeace, etc. Then We
have names indicating real or fancied re-
semblance TO some animal, such as Bear,
Lion, Wolf, Hogg, Hart and Hare.
From physical characteristics or peculi-
arities must have originated such names
as Long, Short, Black, Brown. White,
Whitehead. Crookshank, Strong, Arm
strong, Longfellow and Greathead. A
nickname kept in a family for a genera
ton or two becomes a ~patronymic.
Hence such names as Hopper, Jumper,
Springer. Daddysman. Poor and Rich.
The Nc and o of the Irish and the
Mac of the Scotch indicate descent.
There is another way in which the same
thing is shown: Adams son becomes
Adamson, David's son Davidson, Thomp-
son. Wilson. Williamson, Donaldson,
Anderson and many other names are
similarly derived. Localities or places Of
residence originally gave rise to such
names as Hill, Dale, Wood, Green,
Greenwood, Heath, Rivers, Waters and
Parks. Such names as Welsh, French.
Irish, Ireland. English and Scott may
perhaps be traced back to the nationality
Of some remote ancestor.
The names which were derived from
occupations are probably more numerous
than m other class. We all know how
widespread the Smith family is. In the
came category belong the Clarks clerks
originally, Cooks. Coopers. Bakers,
BARRIERS. Taylors. Shoemakers, Tanners,
Farmers and others. The months or DAYS
in which people were born originated such
names as May, June, January, March,
Friday and Monday.
The inns of old England are probably
responsible for many m For in
stance. John of the Rose became John
Rose: Thomas of the Bell. became Tom
Bill; Richard of the Hawk. Richard
Hawk: Henry Of the 'greathouse' became
Henry G~reathouse, and so ON. until there
is scarcely a bird, animal or other device
that ever figured ON a ~signboard that is
not perIetuated as a family name.
There are, perhaps. as many queer
names among the English as among any
people ON earth. Dickens stories abound
in them, but very few Of his names were
manufactured. Such names as Slaughter,
Startup. Gotobed. Deadman, Churchyard,
Dogberry and Fudge are found in English
directories"
Sometimes the very queerest of names
get coupled together as the title of a
firm. Here are a few specimens: Hook
e. Ketch, Cobb & Hay, Peacock & Spar
row, Fox q Crane, Singer & Hooter,
Drake e. Gander, Fisher & Fowler, Cos
lin & Pond, Wild & Free.
The poverty Of invention of the Pioneer
community In America in the matter of
names for towns results in bestowing
some absurd appeIlations on backwoods'
hamlets. Who al name county, either
east or west. which has not some strag-
Cling village styled Paris, Oxford, Jeru-
----al.--